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Artist’s Profile:
Sabine von Graz’s vision is shaped by a lifetime nurtured in art. Her mother is one of Austria’s leading painters and sculptors. Sabine’s paintings are unique, challenging images where strong colour and shape overlay differing visual clues. Image by image, she is creating a new world. “I guess I live out in my paintings things you just don’t get to do on an everyday basis.”

Artist’s Statement:
My work is often described as sexual, funky with a touch of punk and leaning towards the surreal.The secondary images hidden within the main image can turnthe viewer into the artist, letting them create their own story, possibly mirroring the state of the soul in the layers of the paintings.I like to use and display my art in combination with found or sourced objects like flowers, which I actually put into the painting, or use recycled items I find to be part of the painting. It gives my ‘two dimensional’ story the third dimension fusing into an installation. The combination of the realistic, oversized still life flowers creates a powerful tension with the clear, cool and reserved image of the person looking at us from the canvas.Once again the search of the old world in contrast with the contemporary is what fascinates and drives my painting. The ideas and technique for a painting begin well before I start to paint. Any of my experiences can influence the outcome. Painting is expression. My work is finished when my first intentions have developed into visual messages as bold as I can make them. In an ever-changing world art is a constant. A painting is a lasting communication between the artist and the world. The challenge is to create new meaning ina new way.

EXHIBITIONS Solo
2002 Alloura Plaza, 424 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 2003 CO.AS.IT Center, 189 Faraday Street, Carlton 2003 Where Art Is At, 92 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy 2005 July, Venier, Graz, Austria 2006 January, La Madrague, Port Melbourne 2007 Red Box, Sydney Road, Brunswick 2010 The Pantechnicon Gallery, Daylsford

BIOGRAPHY
1969 - Born in Steiermark, Austria Sabine von Graz grew up in a household that lived and breathed art. Paper, glass, mirrors… Every surface was painted, even dishes, T-shirts and cabinets. From delicate ink drawing to striking Op Art, Sabine and her brother were surrounded by the work of her mother, well-known Austrian sculpture and painter Gerlinde Bartelt-Stelzer. 1984 - 1989 Fashion, Art, Design and Matriculation Certificate, Austria 1990 - Milagros (Los Angeles) Art and Design studio 1991 - Tribal Trade (Melbourne, Australia) 1991-95 Self employed - Design and manufacture, proprietor 1995 - 97 Beauty and the Beast Victoria State Opera costume design and making 1999 Diploma in Applied Design, RMIT 2001 Diploma in Electronic Art, RMIT